Improvement in steam vacuum-pumps



Patented Sep.24,1872.

Wijmsses: M%

Ulvrrnn S'rA'rns PATENT Grrr'on.

CHARLES H. HALL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPRQVEMENT IN STEAM VACUUM-PUMPS.

CASE F.

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. HALL, of

New York city, in the State of New York, have pressure upon the water.Thereis a marked gain by the reduction of rubbing surfaces and the greatefficacy and small cost-of the apparatus.

The following is a description of what I consider the best means ofcarrying out the invention. The accompanying drawing forms a part ofthis specification.

Figure l is a vertical section, and Fig. 2 is a horizontal section.

- Similarletters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures. AA are vessels of equal sizeformed of castiron in one piece, and adaptedto resist a strong internal pressure, as also to resist the externalpressure of the atmosphere when a vacuum is formed therein. E is asteam-pipe which communicates with a boiler, not represented. Thesteam-pipe E is of small internal diameter, or there must be at somepoint in the steam connection a narrow passage through which the steamcannot flow readily except in a very contracted current. 0 is a pipe ofsufiicient size communicating" with the tank or well from which thewater isto be taken, and P is a delivery-pipe adapted to convey away thewater under pressure and discharge it at a higher point or wherever itis desired to force the water. The chambers A and A are filledalternately with steam and water. The action is self-controlling. Whenthe steam is excluded from a chamber the water is received from the pipe0 and fills it. Meantime the opposite chamber is being emptied of itswater by the steam entering at its top and pressin g downward on thesurface with such force as to below that of the external atmosphere.

discharge the water outward through the discharge-pipe. When the wateris thus expelled the reception of steam is cut oif and the chamber issoon again filled with water. Whileone chamber is being filled withwater the other is expelling its water. The steam-valve 6 turns upon anaxis below. When it lies in the position represented it bears againstthe seat 6 and prevents the flow of steam into the chamber A in whichmeantime, a vacuum obtains and causes it to fill with water throughprovisions which will be presently described. Under these conditions thesteam flows freely into the opposite chamber A and drives out the waterwhich has previously filled the latter. It drives it outward past thevalve-seat 1) into the delivery-passage P. When the surface of the waterin the vessel A has sunk sufficiently low it passes below the upper edgeof the dischargeorifice 0. At this juncture the steam itself commencesto be discharged into the discharging-orifice and induces a violentagitation of the water-surface. This induces a rapid increase in therate of condensation of the steam, the condensation having been beforealmost inappreciable. There is, in consequence, a momentary violent flowof steam through the valve-seat c at the top, but the current has no isooner commenced than it is arrested again by its having induced thevalve 0 to change its position. It leaves the seat 6 where it has beenpreviously resting, and tilts over and bears against the seat 6 Underthesenew conditions the condensation of the steam in the chamber Arapidly continues, and the pressure is soon Meanwhile the steam isadmitted freely from the. pipe E into the chamber A, and acts therein todischarge therefrom until the water-surface is so depressed as to inducein this chamber the same change of conditions which has been describedfor the other.

The provisions for receiving and discharging water are peculiarr Thereis a hollow movable piece, 0, hung and capable of oscillating freely ontrunnions which form in efi'ect an axis. The exterior surface at eachside is cylindrical and fits tight and easy against the adjacent casing.As this piece 0 rolls and oscillates under the influence to which it issubjected it forms always a tight or nearly tight contact with theadjacent walls of the passage. The upper face of the rolling piece 0 isalso curved and adapted to move tight and easy within acorrespondingly-concave portion of the casing above. When the piece 0stands in the position shown in Fig. 1 the water from the induction-pipeO, entering freely at the lower end of this movable piece, issues at theupper end into the chamber A This condition continues until the chamberA is filled with water. Meantime the water has been forced out from thechamber A and when the vacuum is formed in the chamber A and thesteam-valve e rocks and prevents the furtherintroduction of steam intothe chamber A the vacuum thereon ensuing in'the chamber A by its suctionon the movable piece 0 induces it also to change its position and moveto the left, so that the communication between the suction-pipe O andthe chamber A is, in this new condition of affairs, tightly closed, andthe water is inducted rapidly into the chamber A. The alternate changesof condition in each chamber, forming first plus pressure of steam andthen a vacuum, induces the movable piece 0 as well as the valves 6 andp, to rock on their respective centers at nearly simultaneous periodsand the water is drawn upward from the pipe 0 and discharged through thepipe 1?, so as to be practically continuous.

I have conceived this form of the valves and of the adjacent parts asthe result of laborious and expensive experiment. I have endeavored toconstruct a form which will be durable and reliably effective. The seatsfor the valves c and 1) may be plane, and may be faced with soft metal,rubber, or any other suitable material. The valves are cheaply made andeasily mounted and adjusted. The hollow piece 0 and its adjacentsurfaces are easily finished. This construction of the apparatus reducesthe number of moving parts to three. The valves 0 and 19 may servesuccessfully without any pin or axis at their lower angles. They may besimply wedgeshaped pieces, rocking on their lower angles.

I claim as my invention- 1. The hollow rocking valve 0, arranged andoperating relatively to the water-induction pi pe O, and to the chambersA A as specified.

2. The combination of the rocking valves 0 j) and hollow valve 0,arranged and operating relatively to the chambers A A and suitable pipesor connections, as herein set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 18th day of May,1872, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

0. H. HALL.

Witnesses:

ARNOLD HoRMANN, \V. O. DEY.

